Transmission-gearing.



C. W. LEVALLEY.

i TRANSMISSIQNGEARING. APPLlcMloN msn ri. I4. 1912.

Patented Aug. 24,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

C.'W..LEVALLEY. TRANSMISSION; GEARVING.. APPLICATION HLED FEB. 1.4. |912.

C. W. LEVALLEY.

TRANSMISSION GEARING.

APPLICATIUN FILED FEB. i4, 1912.

Patented Aug. 24,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

HSN

CHRISTOPHER W. LEVALLEY, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

TRANSMISSION-Gambie.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 21, 1915.

Application led February 14, 1912. Serial No. 677,452.

,are employed for commercial purposes,

where the two traction wheels are driven through separate chain or gearing connections from a common motor-driven countershaft.

rI`he invention has for its object to improve gearing of this type, adapting it toy drive each wheel independently, and permitting the faster moving wheel-as the outer one vwhen the vehicle is turning-to 'run freely and become disconnected from the power shaft.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a central longitudinal sectional View taken through the countershaft of the mechanism. Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line II-II of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line III-IV of Fig. l as seen when viewed from theside indicated by the arrow a. Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view. taken on the line III-IV of Fig. 1 as seen when viewed from the side indicated by the arrow b. Fig. 5 is a detail detached view, in elevation, of the bearing plate 15. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of an embodiment of the invention different from that illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line VII-VII of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken 0n the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a detail view, in elevation, of one of the supporting disks 14 shown in Fig. 6.

In the drawings, 2 indicates a powerdriven shaft, such as a counter-shaft of a motor vehicle, supported in bearings 3 and carrying a gear 4, which, in the present illustration of mv invention, stands for the' connection, whatever its nature, between the p shaft 2 and the motor.

8 indicates a shaft coaxial with shaft 2, and so supported that it is free to turn independently of the shaft 2.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 the shaft 8 is relatively short and in alinement with shaft 2, and

issupported in a bearing or bearings 3. Flxed to the shaft 8 is av sprocket wheel 9 that is connected by a chain belt 20 with a wheel upon a shaft org sleeve to which is secured one of the traction wheels. The parts designated 9 and 20 are typical of a traln of gearing between the driven shaft 8 and the ultimate object to be driven, and may be varied to suit the conditions of use to which my invention is applied. Secured. to the driven shaft 8 is a clutch member 6, preferably formed with an overhanging flange' 6 having a cillutch face with which engages the clutch s oe 7,. the latter being supported within the chamber or space partially inclosed by the flange 6.

5 designates an arm secured fast to the driven shaft 2. Interposed between the arm 5 and the clutch shoe is the member which operates the latter, it being, in that embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. l.

and 2, in the form of a lever l0, having at one end a pin 11 connecting it with the arm 5, and at the other end a head 12 engaging with the clutch shoe and arranged to expand it into working engagement with the clutch member 6 whenever the lever is rocked through a rotative'movement of the shaft 2. The lever 10 is mounted` in a plate 14 which ,serves not only carrier or support for this lever, but also as a face plate or cover for the oper. end of the clutch member 6. I prefer that the lever should be provided with trunnions 13 to serve asl the fulcral supports therefor, and when these are used they have bearing in plates 15, 1G, the former, the plate 15, (see Fig. 5) being secured by screws 17, to the hub 14 of the supporting disk 14, and the latter, the plate 16, being secured to the face of the disk.

18 designates a plate secured to the arm 5, and covering that end of thev lever 10 which is seated therein, and serving as a dust guard. The entire clutch mechanism described is inclosed in a casing 19 vsupported by some stationary part of the apparatus, ,i

Cil

shaft carrying the gear 9 is tubular, as designated at S', and surrounds and is supported directly by the drive shaft 2. The gear 9 is located at the inner side of the clutch mechanism connecting it with the drive shaft, instead of, as in the other form of the invention, being outside thereof. lach of these arrangements is at times to be preferred, depending largely upon the location of the ultimately driven parts.

',lhe hollow shaft 8 carries a clutch member f t with which engages an expansible shoe 7,

-26 of the segments of the clutch shoe.

the latter being preferably formed in two parts, 7', 7, adapted to`be separated and forced into coperative engagement with the clutch member G. For effecting the movements of the segments 7 l employ the devices illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7.

. The members 7', 7 of the shoe are of segmental shape and are fashioned eXteriorly to engage with the Contact or clutch member 6, while interiorly they are formed with a plurality, preferably four, of bearing surfaces 26 formed on arcs of circles of greater radius than that from the center of the shaft 2 to such surfaces.

28 is a plate or frame freely supported upon the hub 14 of the face plate 14 so as to be rotatable thereabout. It carries a set of rollers 24, preferably four of them, adapted to engage with the, curved inner surfaces t is also provided with a laterally extending arm 25 projecting through an aperture 30 in the face plate 14 and engaging with the driving arm 5. The rollers 24 are in constant engagement with the inner surfaces of the segments of the clutch shoe and are located between them and the hub 14 of the face plate, though preferably they do not engage with the latter. 1When the frame 23 occupies one position--that illustrated in F ig. 7 and which l term its neutral position-the rollers 24 engage with the segments of the clutch shoes at the points where the curved surfaces 26 come together,fand this permits the clutch segments 7 to approach each other su'liiciently tok free themselves from engagement with the clutch member 6. If, however, the frame 23 be turned, as by the rotation of the shaft 2 and its arm 5, the rollers 24 come into engagement with the bearing surfaces 26 of the clutch shoe and force the segments therey ing part, as for instance, to the clutch member 6 or to the hub ofthe wheel 9, as shown. This casing may be loosely centered` upon a stud-like extension-28 of the shaft 2 upon awasher and split key deslgnated 29.

It will be seen that, in both forms of the invention which I have described, the drivingv arm 5 is situated laterally to one side of the clutch, and that the outer end or portion of the clutch operating lever or frame is connected therewith. There are several advantages incident to this arrangement. It enables me to use a comparatively -small clutch member-smaller than would be possible were the operating arm 5 located within the same plane as the clutch-it applies the power from the long arm of the lever and hence advantageously, and in that form of my invention illustrated in Figs 1 and 2, it enables me to bring the abutting ends which it is held by any suitable means, as

of the co-aXial shafts, 2 and 8, Within the.-

through the connecting mechanisms which l have described. lf for any reason one traction wheel is caused to rotate more rapidly than the other, as is the case with the outer wheel of a vehicle when it is describing a curve, the mechanism shown permits an instant separation or disconnection between such faster moving wheel and the driving shaft, as will be understood. From this it follows that the vehicle is always driven 4through the more slowly moving traction wheel, reducing the danger of the vehicle skidding or becoming stalled.

By employing driving gearing such as l have describedY it is entirely feasible, as I have demonstrated, to drive the vehicle through a single traction wheel, the other one being entirely free and disconnected from the motor, as-for instance, should the eonnecting chain belt 20 become broken or ost.

What I claim is :fy

1. The combination of a drive shaft, a pair of shafts co-axial therewith, clutches connected with the co-aXial shafts, arms secured fast to the drive shaft and located each close to but laterally to one side of one of the clutches, and means for operating the clutches connected respectively with the said arms.

2. The combination of a drive shaft, a pair of driven shafts co-axial, and in alinement, therewith, independent clutchesubetween the drive shaft and the co-axial driven shafts respectively, surrounding the abutting ends of the said alining shafts, and means for operating the clutches to bring them into working connections Whenever the driving shaft is turned.

3. The combination of a drive shaft, a pair of driven shafts co-axial, and in alinement therewith, a clutch member connected with the inner end of each said co-aXial shafts and surrounding the abutting ends of the alining shafts,a supporting plate covering the inner face of each said clutch member having a hub extending into the clutch and supported upon the shafts, the abutting ends of the shafts being within these hubs, arms secured -to the driving shaft and located close beside the said plates, and means for operating the clutches, the said means being connected with the arms so as to be operated thereby.

4. The combination of a drive shaft, a pair of driven shafts co-aXial, and in alinement,

therewith, a clutch member connected with the inner end of each said co-aXial shafts and surrounding the abutting ends of the alining shafts, a supporting plate covering the inner face of each said clutch member having a hub extending into the clutch and supportedupon the shafts, the abutting ends of the shafts being within these hubs, clutch shoes located within the said clutch members and between them and the hubs of the said plates, armssecured to the driving shaft and located close beside theA said plates, and means for moving the clutch shoes into en gagement with the said clutch members conJ nected with the said arms and extending through the said plates.

5. The combination of a drive shaft, a driven shaft co-aXial therewith, a clutch connected with the driven shaft, an arm secured fast to the drive shaft and located close to but laterally to one side of the clutch, and means for operating the clutch connected with the said arm.

CHRISTOPHER W. LEVALLEY.

Witnesses:

JOHN S. BARKER, GEO. B. Prr'rs. 

